Load Element Or Constant Current Source (e.g., With Source To Gate Connection) Patents (Class 257/271)
  • Patent number: 10411104
    Abstract: Forming a semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate having a substrate top surface includes: forming a gate trench extending from the substrate top surface into the semiconductor substrate; forming a gate electrode in the gate trench; forming a curved sidewall portion along at least a portion of a sidewall of the gate trench; forming a body region adjacent to the gate trench; forming a source region embedded in the body region, including disposing source material in a region that is along at least a part of the curved sidewall portion; forming a gate top dielectric layer over the gate electrode and having a top side that is below at least a portion of the source region; and forming a metal layer over at least a portion of a gate trench opening and at least a portion of the source region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventor: John Chen
  • Patent number: 9941124
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor base body having a first main surface and a second main surface, the first main surface and the second main surface being opposite with each other; a Schottky electrode that is disposed on the first main surface and forms a Schottky junction with the semiconductor base body; and a barrier metal layer that is brought into ohmic contact with the first main surface around the Schottky electrode and covers a side surface of the Schottky electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kumakura, Tomonori Hotate, Hiroko Kawaguchi, Hiroshi Shikauchi, Ryohei Baba, Yuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9559179
    Abstract: A semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor substrate having a substrate top surface, comprising: a gate trench extending from the substrate top surface into the semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode in the gate trench; a gate top dielectric material disposed over the gate electrode; a body region adjacent to the gate trench; a source region embedded in the body region; a metal layer disposed over at least a portion of a gate trench opening and at least a portion of the source region, wherein: the source region has a curved sidewall portion that is adjacent to the gate trench, and that extends above the gate top dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventor: John Chen
  • Patent number: 9209260
    Abstract: Fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming a gate trench on a semiconductor substrate; forming a spacer inside the gate trench; forming one or more gate electrodes within the gate trench; implanting a body region; implanting a source region; forming a contact trench; disposing dielectric material within the gate trench; removing at least a portion of the dielectric material such that at least a portion of the source region extends above the dielectric material; and depositing a metal layer over at least a portion of a gate trench opening, at least a portion of the source region, and at least a portion of the contact trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventor: John Chen
  • Patent number: 8969819
    Abstract: A radiation image pickup apparatus allowed to restore a change in characteristics in a pixel transistors caused by radiation, and a method of driving the same are provided. The radiation image pickup apparatus includes: a pixel section including a plurality of unit pixels and generating an electrical signal based on incident radiation, each of the unit pixels including one or more pixel transistors and a photoelectric conversion element; a drive section for selectively driving the unit pixels of the pixel section; and a characteristic restoring section including a first constant current source for annealing and a selector switch for changing a current path from the unit pixels to the first constant current source at the time of non-measurement of the radiation, and allowing an annealing current to flow through the pixel transistor, thereby restoring characteristics of the pixel transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Tanaka, Makoto Takatoku, Yasuhiro Yamada, Ryoichi Ito
  • Patent number: 8815682
    Abstract: A diode (200) is disclosed having improved efficiency, smaller form factor, and reduced reverse biased leakage current. Schottky diodes (212) are formed on the sidewalls (210) of a mesa region (206). The mesa region (206) is a cathode of the Schottky diode (212). The current path through the mesa region (206) has a lateral and a vertical current path. The diode (200) further comprises a MOS structure (214), p-type regions (220), MOS structures (230), and p-type regions (232). MOS structure (214) with the p-type regions (220) pinch-off the lateral current path under reverse bias conditions. P-type regions (220), MOS structures (230), and p-type regions (232) each pinch-off the vertical current path under reverse bias conditions. MOS structure (214) and MOS structures (230) reduce resistance of the lateral and vertical current path under forward bias conditions. The mesa region (206) can have a uniform or non-uniform doping concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Gordon M. Grivna, Jefferson W. Hall, Mohammed Tanvir Quddus
  • Patent number: 8785987
    Abstract: An IGFET device includes: —a semiconductor body having a major surface, —a source region of first conductivity type abutting the surface, —a drain region of the first conductivity-type abutting the surface and spaced from the source region with a channel therefrom, —an active gate overlying the channel and insulated from the channel by a first dielectric material forming the gate oxide of the IGFET device, —a dummy gate positioned between the active gate and the drain and insulated from the active gate by a second dielectric material so that a capacitance is formed between the active gate and the dummy gate, and insulated from the drain region by the gate oxide, wherein the active gate and the dummy gate are forming the electrodes of the capacitance substantially perpendicular to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Acco
    Inventor: Denis Masliah
  • Patent number: 8604525
    Abstract: An LDMOS (laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor) structure connects the source to a substrate and also the gate shield while utilizing a reduced area for such contacts. The structure includes an electrically conductive substrate layer, a source, and a drain contact; the drain contact is separated from the substrate layer by at least one intervening layer. An electrically conductive trench-like feed-through element passes through the intervening layer and contacts the substrate and the source to electrically connect the drain contact and the substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Vishay-Siliconix
    Inventor: Kyle Terrill
  • Patent number: 7728387
    Abstract: Various semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture are employed. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a MOS-compatible semiconductor device exhibits high channel mobility and low leakage. The device includes a channel region having a high-mobility strained material layer and a tunneling mitigation layer on the strained material layer to mitigate tunnel leakage. The strained material has a lattice structure that is strained to match the lattice structure of the tunneling mitigation layer. An insulator layer is on the tunneling mitigation layer, and an electrode is over the insulator and adapted to apply a voltage bias to the channel region to switch the device between conductive and nonconductive states. Current is transported in the conductive state as predominantly facilitated via the mobility of the strained material layer, and wherein tunneling current in the nonconductive state is mitigated by the tunneling mitigation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Tejas Krishnamohan, Krishna Chandra Saraswat
  • Patent number: 7573016
    Abstract: In the amplification type solid-state imaging device of the present invention, the input side of a switched capacitor amplifier portion 20 is connected to the output side of each transfer transistor 2 of a photoelectric conversion and transfer portion group obtained by grouping a plurality of photoelectric conversion and transfer portions 10 having a photodiode 1 and a transfer transistor 2, and the output side of the switched capacitor amplifier portion 20 is connected to a vertical signal line 9. The switched capacitor amplifier portion 20 has a signal charge storage portion 8, an amplification transistor 3 whose input side is connected to the signal charge storage portion 8, and a capacitor 6 and a reset transistor 5 connected between the input and output of the amplification transistor 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Koyama
  • Publication number: 20070235745
    Abstract: Impurity concentration of a second semiconductor region is set such that when a predetermined reverse bias is applied to a heterojunction diode configured by a first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region, a breakdown voltage at least in a heterojunction region other than outer peripheral ends of the heterojunction diode is a breakdown voltage of a semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hayashi, Masakatsu Hoshi, Yoshio Shimoida, Hideaki Tanaka, Shigeharu Yamagami
  • Patent number: 7102182
    Abstract: An example semiconductor device is capable of preventing a buried diffusion region formed near the bottom surface of a source trench from diffusing to the extent that it contacts a gate trench in the vicinity of that buried diffusion region even if the accuracy of the photographic step of trench formation is not so high. A side wall is formed on the circumferential side of the source trench and then impurities are injected to the bottom surface of the source trench. When the impurities are heated and diffused, the buried P+-type diffusion region is formed with a width almost identical to the width of the opening of the source trench or smaller than the width of the opening of the source trench. Thus, even when irregularities are generated in the manufacturing step and the buried diffusion region becomes larger than is necessary, it is possible to prevent contact of the buried diffusion region with the gate trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Shindengen Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Takemori, Masato Itoi, Yuji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7012290
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to realize a numerical aperture higher than that of a pixel having a conventional construction by using a pixel circuit having a novel construction in an electro-optical device. Therefore, it is utilized that the electric potential of a gate signal line in a row except for an i-th row is set to a constant electric potential in a period except for when a gate signal line (106) in the i-th row is selected. A gate signal line 111 in an (i?1)-th row is also used as an electric current supply line for an EL element (103) controlled by the gate signal line (106) in the i-th row. Thus, wiring number is reduced and high numerical aperture is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Inventor: Hajime Kimura
  • Patent number: 6958519
    Abstract: Methods of forming field effect transistors and resultant field effect transistor circuitry are described. In one embodiment, a semiconductive substrate includes a field effect transistor having a body. A first resistive element is received by the substrate and connected between the transistor's gate and the body. A second resistive element is received by the substrate and connected between the body and a reference voltage node. The first and second resistive elements form a voltage divider which is configured to selectively change threshold voltages of the field effect transistor with state changes in the gate voltage. In a preferred embodiment, first and second diode assemblies are positioned over the substrate and connected between the gate and body, and the body and a reference voltage node to provide the voltage divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando Gonzalez, Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 6838735
    Abstract: A power MOSFET has a plurality of spaced rows of parallel coextensive trenches. The trenches are lined with a gate oxide and are filled with conductive polysilicon. Spaced narrow polysilicon strips overlie the silicon surface and connects adjacent trenches to one another. The source contact is made at a location remote from the trenches and between the rows of trenches. The trenches are 1.8 microns deep, are 0.6 microns wide and are spaced by about 0.6 microns or greater. The device has a very low figure of merit and is useful especially in low voltage circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel M. Kinzer, Ritu Sodhi, Mark Pavier
  • Patent number: 6476428
    Abstract: The field effect transistor includes a control terminal (G), a first main terminal (S) and a second main terminal (D1). The control terminal (G) is included to be coupled to gate voltage means which are adapted to provide a control voltage (Vg) which controls a flow of carriers (e) flowing from the first main terminal (S) to the second main terminal (D1). The field effect transistor further includes a third main terminal (D2) which is positioned and adapted in order to enable a high input resistance control current means (CS), which is coupled to the third main terminal (D2), to deviate part (e′) of the flow of carriers from the first main terminal (S) to the third main terminal (D2). The third main terminal is called the double drain (D2) of the field effect transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventor: Joannes Mathilda Josephus Sevenhans
  • Patent number: 6433370
    Abstract: Semiconductor diodes are diode connected cylindrical junction field effect devices having one diode terminal as the common connection between a top gate, a back gate and a first channel terminal of the cylindrical junction field effect devices. The second diode terminal of the semiconductor diodes being the second channel terminal of the diode connected cylindrical junction field effect devices. The method of processing the cylindrical junction field effect devices provide very short channels, shallow diffused regions and trench terminated junctions at the edges of the active device for low forward voltage turn-on and high reverse bias breakdown. The trench terminated junctions spread the breakdown energy over the entire active device region rather than just device edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: VRAM Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Richard A. Metzler
  • Patent number: 6307238
    Abstract: Methods of forming field effect transistors and resultant field effect transistor circuitry are described. In one embodiment, a semiconductive substrate includes a field effect transistor having a body. A first resistive element is received by the substrate and connected between the transistor's gate and the body. A second resistive element is received by the substrate and connected between the body and a reference voltage node. The first and second resistive elements form a voltage divider which is configured to selectively change threshold voltages of the field effect transistor with state changes in the gate voltage. In a preferred embodiment, first and second diode assemblies are positioned over the substrate and connected between the gate and body, and the body and a reference voltage node to provide the voltage divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando Gonzalez, Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 6121665
    Abstract: Methods of forming field effect transistors and resultant field effect transistor circuitry are described. In one embodiment, a semiconductive substrate includes a field effect transistor having a body. A first resistive element is received by the substrate and connected between the transistor's gate and the body. A second resistive element is received by the substrate and connected between the body and a reference voltage node. The first and second resistive elements form a voltage divider which is configured to selectively change threshold voltages of the field effect transistor with state changes in the gate voltage. In a preferred embodiment, first and second diode assemblies are positioned over the substrate and connected between the gate and body, and the body and a reference voltage node to provide the voltage divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando Gonzalez, Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 5894163
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (400) and method are provided for multiplying a capacitance. A contact region (402) is formed in an island in a semiconductor substrate (499) bounded by an isolation region (403), producing the capacitance at the junction of the contact region (402). A dielectric layer (404) is formed over the semiconductor substrate (499) adjacent to the contact region (402). A contact layer (408) is formed over the dielectric layer (404) wherein an inversion layer (406) is formed under the contact layer (408), producing an inversion capacitance in response to an enabling signal. The inversion capacitance corresponds to a multiple of the capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan A. McFarland, David C. Crohn
  • Patent number: 5459343
    Abstract: A semiconductor device which includes a channel region of predetermined conductivity type having a pair of opposing surfaces (11 or 33) , a control element of opposite conductivity type disposed on one of the opposing surfaces (13 or 31) and a pair of spaced apart electrodes (17, 19 or 35, 37) disposed over the other of the opposing surfaces. The control element and channel region form a pn junction therebetween. An electrically insulating layer (15) can be disposed between the spaced apart electrodes (17, 19) and the channel region (11) in a high frequency embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: David J. Seymour, Frank J. Morris
  • Patent number: 5324978
    Abstract: It is usual in high-voltage integrated circuits to provide one or several breakdown-voltage-raising rings at the edge of a high-voltage island in the form of surface zones of the conductivity type opposite to that of the island. According to the invention, the function of these rings is locally taken over by one or several zones forming part of a circuit element and also provided with a breakdown-voltage-raising edge. Since the breakdown-voltage-raising zones are locally omitted alongside the island insulation, a major space saving can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Adrianus W. Ludikhuize, Franciscus A. C. M. Schoofs
  • Patent number: 5319236
    Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor device equipped with a high-voltage MISFET capable of forming a push-pull circuit on one chip by optimizing a junction-separation structure. In an n-channel MOSFET, when a potential is applied to the gate electrode, to the source electrode, and across the drain electrode and the semiconductor substrate to expand the depletion layer from the junction face of a semiconductor substrate and a well formed thereon, the leading edge of the depletion layer does not reach a low-concentration drain diffusion region formed on the well. When a potential is applied to the drain electrode, to the semiconductor substrate, and across the source electrode and the gate electrode to expand a depletion layer from the junction face of the low-concentration drain diffusion region and the well, and a depletion layer from the junction face of semiconductor substrate and the well, the depletion layers are connected with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko Fujihira
  • Patent number: 5223725
    Abstract: A charge transfer device is equipped with a junction type field effect transistor coupled with the final stage of a transfer shift register for modulating current flowing therethrough depending upon the amount of electric charge from the transfer shift register, and the junction type field effect transistor comprises an n-type looped gate region formed in a p-type well, a p-type source region surrounded by the looped gate region, a p-type drain region opposite to the source region with respect to the looped gate region, and a p-type channel region defined in the p-type well beneath the looped gate region, wherein the p-type channel region is shallower or smaller in dopant concentration than remaining portion of the p-type well so that the current is effectively modulated with the electric charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Miwada